Welcome

Thank you for your interest in Jewel Cave National Monument. Our education program presently consists primarily of cave tours geared to the group's course of study. Additional programming may be arranged on a case-by-case basis. Educational fee waivers may be available by completing the application process described below. Fee waivers will be granted only for the Scenic Cave Tour. Educational fee waivers do not cover fees for Lantern or Spelunking tours. To apply for a fee waiver please contact us at 1-605-673-2288 ext. 1220 and we can fax or mail the information to you.

Scenic Cave Tours are limited to no more than 30 individuals. This includes students, chaperones and teachers. Reservations may be requested up to three months in advance of the tour date. The requested date will not be reserved until the appropriate requested information has been received and approved by Jewel Cave National Monument.

From March through the end of May, and from mid-September through November, we will make every effort to provide educational group tours that are geared toward the specific curriculum needs of the class. Educational groups meeting the required criteria may have tour fees waived at any time during the remainder of the year. However, Jewel Cave cannot guarantee that tours offered during that time will be specific to the group's course of study.

More Information

Mileage Chart and Directions

To Jewel Cave National Monument (in miles):

Directions

From Rapid City, SD - Take Highway 16 through Hill City to Custer. Continue on Highway 16 west 13 miles to Jewel Cave National Monument. Turn left at the sign for the visitor center. (See map below)

From Newcastle, WY - Take Highway 16 east and drive 24 miles to Jewel Cave National Monument. Do not turn off Hwy. 16 at the Jewel Cave National Monument's Historic Area. Continue 1 mile east to the right turn for the visitor center. (See map below)

Parking
The parking lot at the visitor center can accommodate about 10 buses. Pull-through parking spaces are available at the upper end of the parking lot (near the lot entrance/exit), and larger vehicles may also park parallel to the curbs at this end of the lot. Visitors may disembark from buses at the area of the parking lot nearest the visitor center. However, drivers are asked to stop either before or after the curve. Accessible sidewalks and ramps can be reached at the far end of the curve. Please turn off the bus once it is parked; do not leave the engine idling.

Jewel Cave National Monument Map

The Walk on the Roof Trail is a ¼ mile self-guided trail that explores the relationship between the surface and subsurface resources of Jewel Cave National Monument. The trail begins at the covered patio area outside the visitor center lobby and returns to the north end of the visitor center. Bird and wildflower guides are available at the information desk.

The Canyons Trail is a 3-1/2 mile loop that begins at the covered patio area outside the visitor center lobby and winds its way down into Lithograph Canyon. Go through the gate that leads into Hell Canyon; follow the trail to the sign that leads to the historic area. Continue across the parking area to the trail back to the visitor center. The trail is 9/10 of a mile from the historic area to the visitor center. This is a rough and uneven trail be aware of this if you plan to hike the trail.

Things to Know For Your Educational Visit

1. Revoking of Fee Waiver Status

A fee waiver may be revoked and a bill of collection sent to your school, if your group behaves inappropriately. A bill of collection may also be sent if the group's activities indicated that the primary purpose of the field was recreational rather than educational in nature.

2. Preparing for a safe and educational visit

~ We require at least 1 chaperon for every 10 students for grades K-12.

~ Let your students know what you would like them to learn about at Jewel Cave. Your Park Ranger guide will focus the programs content on objectives identified in your fee waiver application. Your ranger expects great questions from the group, thoughtful responses to his or her questions, and students open to learning and new experiences.

~ Chaperons and students will need a light jacket or sweater because the cave temperature is a cool 49° Fahrenheit (9° Centigrade). A comfortable pair of walking shoes is also necessary because the cave route of your educational program will contain numerous stairs and surfaces that can be wet and uneven.

~ This route is considered moderately strenuous with 723 stairs along a ½ mile path. Let the monument staff know if you have students with special needs prior to your visit. The visitor center and first room in the cave are accessible for visitors with disabilities.

~ Be prepared to help protect the cave and visitor facilities. Advise your group prior to arrival that gum, sunflower seeds, food, drinks (including water bottles) and tobacco products of any kind will not be allowed in the cave or visitor center.

~ Backpacks are also not allowed in the cave. Purses, backpacks and other personal belongings will not be accepted for safekeeping at the visitor center. Please leave them secured in the bus or other vehicles.

~ Please arrive at the visitor center at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled program time. Early arrival will allow your group time to use the restrooms before entering the cave. There are no restrooms in the cave and typical educational programs take at least 1 hour and 20 minutes.

~ There are no eating facilities at the monument other than soda pop and candy machines. Picnic tables, garbage cans and recycling receptacles are located around the visitor center parking lot.

3. Your group's responsibilities while at the monument (Please discuss with your students and chaperons before visiting…)

~ Students must stay with adult chaperons at all times. Each adult is responsible for their specific group of students and must maintain control at all times.

~ While in the cave, one chaperon must be in front of the group, one at the back of the group and the rest scattered throughout the group. Each educational program in the cave will have no more than 30 per group; this includes both students and chaperons.

~ When the ranger is speaking please show the proper respect to others on the tour as well as the ranger. If you need to talk, do so quietly to allow others the ability to enjoy the cave's natural silence.

~ Cave pools are not wishing wells. Do not throw anything in the pools. Foreign materials introduced into the cave can create bacterial growth that is harmful to the cave environment.

~ Do not touch the cave formations, walls or ceilings with any part of your body; formations are fragile. Oils and dirt can permanently damage and stain the cave.

~ Collection of any cave formations, rocks, plants and wildflowers, pinecones, animals, bones, skulls, antlers, horns, bird feathers or nests, historic or archeological artifacts (for example, arrowheads) is prohibited, unless by permit for academic study only.

~ In case of injury or illness, please notify a park ranger immediately.

4. Teacher Resources

Jewel Cave Facts

Lengths
Current Known Length of Jewel Cave 133.01 miles
Scenic Tour Route 0.5 mile
Walk on the Roof Trail 0.4 mile

Elevations
Visitor Center 5400 ft.
Historic Cave Entrance 5294 ft.

Depths below the visitor center
Target Room (start of Scenic Tour route) 230 ft.
Lowest Point on Scenic Tour route 380 ft.
Lower Cave (end of Scenic Tour route) 300 ft.

Other
Number of stairs on Scenic Tour route 723
Cave Temperature 49° F

Recommended References

Conn, Herb and Jan. The Jewel Cave Adventure. St. Louis, Missouri, Zephyrus Press, Inc., Revised 1981.

Courbon, Paul. Atlas of the Great Caves of the World. St. Louis, Missouri, Cave Books, 1989.

Froiland, Sven. G. Natural History of the Black Hills. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Center for Western Studies, 1990.

Gries, John Paul. Roadside Geology of South Dakota. Missoula, Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company

Moore, George W. and Sullivan, Nicholas. Speleology: Caves and the Cave Environment. St. Louis, Missouri, Cave Books, 1997

Palmer, Arthur N. Jewel Cave, A Gift from the Past. Hot Springs, South Dakota, Black Hills Parks and Forests Association.

Rosga, Karen S. Jewel Cave, The Story Behind the Scenery. Las Vegas, Nevada, KC Publication, Inc. 1998.

Glossary

Calcite - The crystallized form of calcium carbonate. The main mineral which makes up speleothems.

Carbonic Acid - A weak acid created by water mixing with carbon dioxide in the soil. This acid can dissolve limestone.

Cave - An underground hollow, usually with an entrance in a hill or cliff

Crystal - A solid material with a regular internal arrangement of atoms

Formations - Common term for cave feature formed by minerals being deposited into a cave such as stalactites and stalagmites. Properly termed "speleothems".

Limestone/Pahasapa Limestone - A sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate.

Geology - The study of the structure of the earth's crust, its formation, and development of its layers. It includes the study of individual rock types and early forms of life found as fossils in rocks.

National Monument - An area of scenic beauty, historical importance, or other significance set aside by a Presidential Proclamation. These areas are maintained and preserved by the Federal Government for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

Speleology - The scientific study of both the physical and biological aspects of caves.

Speleothem - Proper term for the secondary deposit features in a cave, such as stalactites and stalagmites, derived from the Greek word "spelaion" meaning cave and "thema" meaning deposit. Sometimes erroneously called "decorations."

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Last updated August 30, 2005

Web Author jeca_interpretation@nps.gov